Jump to content

IN-PROGRESS: "Iway" 195 Relocation/Wash. Bridge

Cotuit

Recommended Posts

matt Hamlet

matt

Posted
Posted

Not sure if anyone posted this yet, but

RIDOT plans Iway Milestones for 2008

As the Iway project progresses, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) is planning several important milestones with subsequent changes to traffic patterns to occur this year. These milestones and changes (see attached map) include:

1. The new ramp from I-195 Eastbound to India Street (known as Ramp EI) will open in May/June. This will serve only traffic from I-95 Northbound to I-195 Eastbound headed to Gano Street and India Street. The temporary Gano Street off-ramp will close.

2. The Friendship Street on-ramp to I-195 Eastbound will close in June/July for demolition. Motorists will be detoured south on the Service Road to Point Street Eastbound to Hoppin Street Northbound to a new temporary on-ramp to I-195 Eastbound. This temporary on-ramp will be in service for approximately 6 months, and will serve the west side of Providence, part of the hospital area, and part of the Jewelry District.

3. The Pine Street Bridge will close for demolition in June/July. Traffic will be detoured to Broad Street.

4. The existing ramp from I-95 Northbound to I-195 Eastbound (Exit 20 - the old highway) will close over the course of the summer. This will detour traffic using Exits 1 and 2 to Thurbers Avenue (Exit 18), Broadway (Exit 21), or India Street (Exit 2) on I-195 Eastbound depending on the destination.

5. The on-ramp to I-95 Southbound from the Southbound Service Road at Broad Street will be closed at the end of the year while concurrently the new Ramp SE will open. Traffic will be detoured to a variety of routes. Options will include Broadway to Route 10 Southbound and/or Eddy Street to Allens Avenue to Blackstone Street to a temporary on-ramp to I-95 Southbound. This on-ramp will serve parts of the downtown area, the Jewelry District, the East Side, and the hospital area.

6. The new ramp from I-95 Southbound to I-195 Eastbound (called Ramp SE) will open at the end of this year. This will take all traffic from I-95 Southbound to I-195 Eastbound and place it on the new section of highway. The existing ramp (Exit 20) and Eastbound I-195 will close. Traffic needing to access I-195 Eastbound exits to Dyer Street (Exit 1) and Wickenden Street (Exit 2) will be detoured to I-95 exits to downtown (Exit 22), Atwells Avenue (Exit 21), and I-195/Iway India Street (Exit 2).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 711
  • Created
  • Last Reply
brick Burg

brick

Posted
Posted

sounds like the real clusterf* will be starting with all of these detours. I have visions of some horrible downtown traffic. Add in $4.00 gas (my guess for summer price) and maybe RIPTA will see some significant ridership.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...
Frankie811 City

Frankie811

Posted
Posted

From projo's blog:

Changes on the road in Providence

The Friendship Street on-ramp to Route195 East is closed for good today.

Drivers trying to get onto the highway from the area of the Rhode Island Hospital area can use the temporary ramp off Hoppin Street while the Rhode Island Department of Transportation works on building a new, permanent ramp off Plain Street.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Griswald Whistle-Stop

Griswald

Posted
Posted

From projo's blog:

Changes on the road in Providence

The Friendship Street on-ramp to Route195 East is closed for good today.

Drivers trying to get onto the highway from the area of the Rhode Island Hospital area can use the temporary ramp off Hoppin Street while the Rhode Island Department of Transportation works on building a new, permanent ramp off Plain Street.

Ooh, that one hurts. Tough for any West Enders trying to drive east. I guess Point St is the way to go from now on....

Link to comment
Share on other sites
09/21/38 Whistle-Stop

09/21/38

Posted
Posted

Does anyone else think that the I-way will not help the traffic flow thru downtown when it is finally finished? I just don't think it is wide enough over the new bridge. And with all of the new bridge overpasses I see a lot of ice roads in the winter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Frankie811 City

Frankie811

Posted
Posted

Does anyone else think that the I-way will not help the traffic flow thru downtown when it is finally finished? I just don't think it is wide enough over the new bridge. And with all of the new bridge overpasses I see a lot of ice roads in the winter.

Not having anymore "S" curves should help. Better exits/on ramps throughout the downtown area should also help the flow of traffic. Better RIH access will also help.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
runawayjim Metropolis

runawayjim

Posted
Posted

Not having anymore "S" curves should help. Better exits/on ramps throughout the downtown area should also help the flow of traffic. Better RIH access will also help.

add to this the fact that the merge will not be right at downtown anymore and you've got a recipe for success. sure, the traffic problems may not go away at the merge, but you won't have the death trap that is trying to get off exit 21 or 22 with people coming off 195. it's also wider than it used to be, which is a help.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Cotuit Megalopolis

Cotuit

Posted
  • Author
Posted

One of the biggest plus' will be not having people come onto the Dyer St on ramp to 195W and then try to merge over to the 95S lanes. :w00t:

Same thing with the 6/10 to 95 south to 195 east shuffle.

The Iway, much like the Big Dig, does not have reducing congestion as it's primary goal. It's basic goal is to keep 195 open, it was falling down and the re-routing of it was seen as the best way to fix it, while being able to keep it open. We should see many improvements in traffic flow and congestion due to the modern design (195 and 95 through Providence were built prior to Interstate design standards being adopted). Capacity cannot and should not improve too much, we should be getting more people on mass transit, not creating more room for more cars on our highways.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
09/21/38 Whistle-Stop

09/21/38

Posted
Posted

As long as the I-Way was designed to handle the existing traffic capacity that would be good. With the new design and less exits this should make this a safer stretch of highway and less accidents means less delays.

The higher price of gasoline will force commuters to seek out mass transit options but the people on holiday will still drive thru RI on the way to CC.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
09/21/38 Whistle-Stop

09/21/38

Posted
Posted

Since they are opening the Iway bit by bit, can they start to demolish the old 195 east section also. Or do we have to wait unitl the entire Iway is open before they start to dismantle?

Also are there any renderings of what downtown will look like when this project is finished and the Old Harbour area is developed?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
runawayjim Metropolis

runawayjim

Posted
Posted

Sorry I wasn't clear. Is there a 3-D rendering of what Providence will look like in 15 years after all of the projects that are now proposed are built?

i don't think there's a plan for all of the space that'll be opened up. and do you honestly think anyone is thinking about 15 years from now? we still have a crapload of parking lots that need to be developed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Pseudo_Work Hamlet

Pseudo_Work

Posted
Posted

i don't think there's a plan for all of the space that'll be opened up. and do you honestly think anyone is thinking about 15 years from now? we still have a crapload of parking lots that need to be developed.

And an overhaul of the mass transit system that needs to be completed before any of that can realistically happen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 4 weeks later...
Frankie811 City

Frankie811

Posted
Posted

I-way bridge: Celebrated project with hidden woes

On Oct. 26, Governor Carcieri, J. Richard Capka, head of the Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Sen. Jack Reed and other officials stood proudly on the deck of the new Providence River Bridge and cut the ribbon for the first completed section of the state Department of Transportation

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
Cotuit Megalopolis

Cotuit

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Decorative panels were being placed on the India Point Park Pedestrian Bridge today, westbound at least I saw the word "Park" in giant green letters. I imagine the rest of the sign will say, uhm, oh I don't know, "Parking Lot District Next Exit"? Wait, no, maybe it'll say something else.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.